(Billie) Annette Floyd
February 23, 1942 — September 21, 2024
Celebrating the Life of Annette Floyd
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of (Billie) Annette Rahm Floyd, a talented pianist, organist, oboist, retired music educator, lover of all things baseball (especially the Blue Jays), and master chili maker. Annette passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 21 after a long, gradual decline due to dementia. She leaves behind a legacy of music, education, humor, and love, cherished by her family, students, and community. Annette was born in Enid, Oklahoma, where she attended Enid Public Schools. While in 6th grade, Annette began conducting the church choir on Vance Air Force Base; she was a “glass-ceiling breaker” in a field generally dominated by men. In 1964, she graduated from Phillips University with both a Bachelor of Music in piano performance and a Bachelor of Music Education. After a brief teaching position in Clovis, NM, she pursued a Master’s degree at Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, where she met her husband, Monte Floyd. She received her MA in Music Theory in 1970. In 1971, Annette and her husband, Monte, moved to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, where she became an active member of the music community. Throughout her musical career, Annette performed in venues across Canada, the United States, and internationally, including France and Poland. Her performances were broadcast by CBC and European radio networks. She never missed a chance to accompany her daughters in musical performances, and would launch into a rendition of “Puff the Magic Dragon” in any key instead of the actual piece being performed. It was her signature move – but further defined her skill and innate sense of musicality. Her contributions to the musical world extended beyond performance; she was known for her skill in music calligraphy, meticulously hand-copying most of her husband’s compositions. In addition to her performance career, Annette was a dedicated educator. She taught music in Clovis, NM, Rochester, NY, and later in Saskatchewan for the Valley School Division, where she worked first as a band director, then as a classroom teacher, and finally as a teacher-librarian at Hague Elementary School. Throughout her career, she impacted countless students, shaping young minds with her knowledge, humor, dedication, love of music, and genuine concern for their wellbeing.Annette was honoured by the Saskatoon Composers’ Performance Society in 2002 for her 30 years of contributions to new music, a tribute to the lasting impact she made on the musical landscape.Annette was a loving mother, grandmother, and friend. Her sense of humor and wit were unmatched, her laugh infectious, and her loyalty fierce. She taught her children to sew, cook, crochet, to find joy in board games, and jigsaw puzzles, and most importantly, to love music. She was a dedicated champion of her children, sharing countless memories at campsites across North America, softball fields, and skating rinks, guiding them through life’s challenges, and instilling in them the most valuable skill of perseverance. Annette’s loss is deeply felt by her husband, Monte, her children, Amy Billasch (Robert), Sarah Fox (Gerald), Laura Levitan (David), and stepdaughter, Jennifer Floyd, as well as her grandchildren (Adam, Reah, Matan, Doron, Austin, Mika, River, Sonora, Ori, and Zara), and her sister, Dana Sutton. Though dementia slowly took Annette away from those who loved her, her legacy remains in their hearts. She was a woman of wit, warmth, and immense talent, who lived her life fully and left her imprint on the world of music and beyond. She will be dearly missed by her family, friends, students, and the musical community she enriched throughout her life.